Kindred Spirits
by Bring Me Chili Fries
Summary: A collection of random scenarios containing Gwevin, each less than 1000 words.
1. Beautiful

Gwen Tennyson was plain beautiful.

The way her green eyes were full of life, the way her luxuriant orange hair flowed down her back, the way her glowing skin stood out perfectly against the elegant black dress she was wearing.

Black was usually his color, but unsurprisingly, she pulled it off flawlessly! Oh, and of course, there was also that radiant smile plastered on her face as she talked animatedly about...

Well, he wasn't exactly sure _what _she was talking about. He'd zoned out a while ago, completely absorbed by her. Bringing his mind back to ground level, he nodded vaguely at something she asked, though he didn't quite catch her question to begin with.

Her smile faded. "Huh?", she cocked her head at him, eyebrows raised.

"What? What did I say?", he asked her, attempting to mask his confusion.

"You... didn't. Is everything okay?" She gently clasped his hand with hers.

A sheepish smile spread across Kevin's face as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, heh, nothin' to worry about, I swear. I was just distracted."

"By what?", she asked, entirely oblivious. Kevin's smile grew in response. It took a few seconds, but her eyes widened as realization dawned upon her, blood rushing to her cheeks.

"You're really beautiful, y'know? I don't wanna sound like a total sap or anythin', but sometimes I just... get lost in you." He slapped his forehead. "Ugh, that was a sappy thing to say, wasn't it?"

She giggled; yet _another_ thing Kevin loved about her. "Yeah, but that's okay. It's good, in fact! Sometimes, sap gets you this." With that, she closed the gap between their lips. Just as soon as they merged, their enjoyment was cut short by the sound of someone clearing their throat. With considerable effort, they separated to see a young male waiter standing at their table with their food. "Uh, h-here's your order. I'll get out of your hair now."

As if things couldn't get any more humiliating, they gained impolite stares from some of the other patrons around them. For a moment, they'd forgotten that they were in a fancy four-star restaurant and not in a private place.

After the poor waiter served their food and tended to the other customers, the red-faced Gwen and Kevin were left bowing their heads, neither of them daring to speak.

Several moments passed before the embarassment subsided, at which point Kevin broke the silence, smirking. "Please tell me you're not leavin' me hangin'."

Gwen grinned mischeviously, then brought her lips closer to his, until they barely touched. She stuck her tongue out and licked the outline of his lips very, very slowly before sucking on his bottom lip. He closed his eyes, waiting for her soft lips to meet his once more as her breath brushed his tongue.

He waited for more than a few seconds before opening his eyes to see her maintaining the same playful grin from across the table. "That should be enough to hold you over for now. Besides, our food's getting cold."

"Aw, no fair! What a tease.", he whined.

"And you love me all the same."


	2. Spider

A high-pitched scream emanated from the main bathroom of Kevin's apartment. Before he even had a chance to ask her what was going on, Gwen opened the door and crossed the distance between them, practically shoving her body into his and nearly knocking him over.

She held onto him for dear life, clutching his T-shirt until her knuckles turned white as she buried her head into the crook of his neck. This only made him panic, however. "Gwen, what did you see?! What's-?"

"SPIDER!"

"A spider?" Kevin's worrisome expression melted away. "You blasted a Highbreed out the window that one time. How could you be afraid of an itsy-bitsy creepy-crawly?", he laughed.

Gwen lifted her head and looked at him with big, innocent eyes. She was so cute when she was scared. "W-Well, you've gone toe-to-toe with Vilgax and _you're _afraid of alligators!"

The black-haired boy now realized that his point was moot. "Okay, yeah, you win." Pulling her towards him, he pressed his lips to her cheek. "Don't worry, I got you." A slight smile crept up her face as she watched him rush into the bathroom rather heroically, confident that he was going to make everything okay.

Kevin found the culprit crawling around the toilet bowl without a care in the world. He almost felt sorry for what he was about to do to it. Almost.

Thinking on his feet, he coated himself in marble from the sink and brought his fist down on the offender, crushing it. He threw what remained of the creature into the toilet and flushed before shedding his armor and washing his hands.

He exited the bathroom, posing dramatically with his hands on his hips. "Nothin' to worry about. It's dead." As soon as he said those words, the Anodite sprinted towards him and threw her arms around his neck.

"My hero." Her lips met his and her tongue poked his bottom lip repeatedly, requesting access into his mouth. Kevin was more than happy to oblige, a grin forming on his lips as they granted her tongue passage. No sooner did his collide with hers, twisting and turning, warm flesh tangled in warm flesh. Gwen felt every hair on her body stand on end, giddy with pleasure.

She moaned as he turned her around and pinned her to the wall for support. With their mouths still merged, Kevin lightly slid his hands down her sides, finally resting them around the back of her waist. Any lower and it would have been the cause of an embarassing situation.

Gwen took the opportunity to break the kiss to address this, staring into his inviting obsidian orbs. "Thanks for being such a gentleman."

"Hey, of course! I'd never break your trust!", he assured her.

"One of the many, many reasons I love you." She brought her lips towards his, but stopped almost immediately, her body reminding her of what she intended to do before being so rudely interrupted by that pesky spider.

Gwen's eyes darted to the side. "I... have to go." Her body _really _had a twisted sense of timing.

She could see the gears turning in Kevin's head, confusion written all over his face. "What? Where to?" His genuine cluelessness was endearing, but not helpful.

She took a deep breath and looked at him once more, working up the courage to say two simple words. She wasn't sure if this was just a problem she was facing, or if all girls felt the same way. She _was _sure that it was plain awkward, though. How would one go about simply telling their boyfriends that nature was calling? The first time she tried, she walked miles away from a stakeout to a gas station to save face instead of allowing him to drop her off.

"Where-"

She cringed, deciding to just spit it out. "The bathroom!"

"OH!", he exclaimed, moving out of the way. "Oh, yeah! No need to ask, go!"

"T-Thank you." Utterly embarassed, she hung her head as she walked into the bathroom, making sure Kevin couldn't see the red in her cheeks.

As soon as the door closed behind her, the ex-con already sorely missed the taste of her soft lips and the warmth of her perfectly-sculpted body pressing against his. She really knew how to keep him wanting more, and he wouldn't change that for the world.


	3. Let's Do Something

"Why are we here again?", Kevin called out as he slammed the trunk of his car closed, picnic blanket in hand. He walked over to his girlfriend, who merely stared in awe at the dark night sky above them, a slight smile on her face.

"Uh, Gwen?" He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to face him. "Sorry, you said something?"

Kevin set the picnic blanket down on the grass, spreading it out. "When you called me up in the middle of the night saying you wanted to do somethin' spontaneous, this wasn't what I thought you had in mind."

He lay on the blanket, patting the spot next to him to invite her to do the same. She complied, looping her hands around his waist to pull him closer. "Isn't this great? The view's nice, it's quiet and we're alone."

"Well, kinda, but we're just gonna lie here and what, look at the sky? Seems a little boring is all.", Kevin complained.

In response, the Anodite idly drew circles on his chest, twinkling at him. "Mmm... not if we make our own fun."

Kevin lifted her chin with his finger, angling his head slightly as his lips inched closer. She shut her eyes and braced herself for contact, but instead, she felt his fingers lightly creep up and down her sides.

Her eyes shot open at his touch, the irresistible urge to laugh rising within her. "K-Kevin, sto-" She interrupted herself, cackling involuntarily. Unable to form a coherent sentence, she resorted to pushing him away, which only encouraged the boy.

He picked up the pace, grinning deviously as his fingers travelled all over her body, almost as if they were everywhere at once. They moved from her hips all the way up to her neck, then back down to her thighs.

Now red-faced and out of breath, she found it pointless to resist. She closed her eyes, squealing so hard she was almost convinced that she was going insane.

Satisfied with his work, he stopped, watching as Gwen's laughs died down. She stayed in place, her chest heaving with every breath she took as she regained her energy.

"What...", she huffed. "...was that?" Her eyes fluttered open to see him hovering above her, smiling at her slyly.

"I made my own fun."

————

**This was originally significantly longer and more touchy-feely, but it didn't flow very well, so I opted to go for a lighter and shorter story.**

**On a side note, I was working on another Gwevin story before this one that I thought was going somewhere when I started writing it, but I later realized I wasn't very happy with it, so I scrapped it.**


	4. Without You

Gwen's eyes flickered open, adjusting to her surroundings. What caught her attention immediately was that the credits for the movie they had both been watching were rolling. She made a mental note to rewatch the movie at a later date.

Smiling warmly, Kevin glanced down at her, wrapped securely in his arm, using his shoulder as a headrest. "Feelin' comfy?"

Rubbing her eyes, she sat upright, staring straight ahead. Struggling to maintain her composure, she crossed her arms, tapping her fingers on her elbow. "How long was I out?"

The Osmosian's smile slowly faded, matching her demeanor. "Half an hour or so. Why?"

She looked at him with her peripheral vision, still refusing to address him directly. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Sensing that more was bothering her than the fact she dozed off in the middle of their movie night, he squeezed her body close to his, sheltering her. "What did you dream about?"

The Anodite took comfort in his embrace, her hardened expression melting to reveal her vulnerability underneath, her usual bravado replaced by a newfound timidity. "Was it that obvious?"

"When you've had as many nightmares as I have, you tend to notice things in other people." He moved a comforting hand up and down her back. "C'mon, what happened?"

She exhaled a shaky breath, choking back tears. "Y-You died."

His shoulders dropped. He had clearly underestimated the gravity of the situation, but chose not to let it be too obvious. "Who killed me?"

"Some no-name lowlife." She shook her head. "It seemed so _real_. I saw the color drain from your face. I felt your hand getting cold. I heard your last breath." She gasped for air, trying her hardest to keep herself in check. What was she even worried about? Kevin was _right next to her._

Brushing his lips against her silky hair, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Baby, I ain't going anywhere. I'm here. I'm alive. I'm okay."

Just for a moment, hearing his voice helped calm her nerves. "I can't imagine my life without you, Kevin. We've had so many close calls. If Darkstar hadn't helped us save you after you absorbed the Ultimatrix, you might still be crazy, or- or worse.", she swallowed.

"If you weren't there when I first went Anodite, I might've left Earth and forgotten about you. Heck, if Ben hadn't thrown a fit and stormed off to that arcade all those years ago, we wouldn't have even met!"

Tears rolled down her cheeks, dropping on her lap. "Every time we're out there fighting crime, no matter how minor the threat, I get worried that-" She stopped herself short, realizing that she was being irrational. "I sound stupid, don't I? I'm sorry."

He tangled his fingers in her hair. "Hey, c'mon, no!" He guided her head to his shoulder, seeking to provide comfort.

She shut her eyes, relishing their physical closeness. "I don't know what my life would be like without you in it, and I don't wanna know. You mean everything to me. I just... I don't know what I'd do."

Kevin pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. "It's normal to worry, but I've survived everything the universe has thrown at me and I don't plan on stopping. I'll always come back to you. I promise."


	5. Lunch Date

"Ahem."

Kevin slid out from under the car he was working on to see Gwen standing at the entrance to the body shop, holding a paper bag.

"Hey." She smiled at Kevin's bewildered expression. At that moment, a dark blue blur awoke from its slumber at the corner of the room, heading straight for Gwen, affectionately licking her face.

"Down, Zed! I'm glad to see you too!", she laughed.

The Anubian Baskurr did as she was told, taking her place next to Kevin. "Not that I ain't happy to see you, but, uh, whatcha doin' here?", he asked, grabbing a rag nearby to wipe the sweat and grime from his face.

Suppressing a giggle, she handed him the bag. "Brought you lunch." His face lit up as he opened it to find a hamburger wrapped in plastic. "My favori- Wait, wait. Did you walk all the way over here?", he inquired.

She nodded enthusiastically. "It only took me 10 minutes, but yeah." She looked around the room, noticing that there was nobody else around. "Where's your boss?"

"Outta town for a few days. Guess I'm pickin' up the slack. Lots to do, I feel like I might go crazy.", he joked. "But hey, at least I'm gettin' extra moola."

"I can get out of your hair if you want. I wouldn't wanna get in the way of-"

"No, stay!" The dark-haired teen got up from the ground. "We hardly got to talk all day and you walked in the heat to come see me. Lemme make it worth your while.", he pleaded, pulling her waist flush against his body. She couldn't help but blush at their close contact. "Well, o-okay, if you insist."

"Great!" He released her, leading her by the hand to two plastic chairs positioned side by side against the wall. "Grab a seat." She sat down on one chair, while Kevin left the paper bag on the other as he walked over to a sink to wash his hands. Naturally, Zed followed him.

He returned to his seat, unwrapping his burger and throwing the wrapper and the paper bag right into the trash can across the room. "Got it in one." He pumped his fist, proud of his small victory.

Just as he was about to indulge in his food, he stopped himself short. "Hey, what are _you _gonna eat?"

Gwen waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, I don't need to-" It was too late, however. Kevin ripped his burger in half and put a piece in her hands. "I ain't eatin' without you."

She relented, taking a bite out of the burger. "It's cute that you worry about me so much.", she chewed. "Though I can't say I don't worry about you a lot too, so we're even."

"Is that why you came over? Were you worried 'bout little ol' me?", he asked, somewhat teasingly.

"Not exactly. I just... felt like doing something nice.", she shrugged. "_And_ I was bored sitting around doing nothing."

Kevin gulped down some of his food. "Well, uh, you're probably gonna be bored again once I get back to work. I doubt watchin' me tinker with cars for hours is that exciting.", he admitted.

"Cars? Not really." She scooted closer to him, lowering her voice. "You, on the other hand, I could watch for hours."

"Really?" He seemed legitimately shocked. "But I'm like a seven out of 10 at best."

"WHAT?!" She punched him in the shoulder, making him yelp. "Ow!"

"Kevin Ethan Levin, you're an 11 at _worst _and anyone who tells you otherwise-" She exhaled, calming down. "Sorry." She cleared her throat. "But seriously, of course I wouldn't mind watching you! You're way hotter than you give yourself credit for!"

He winced, rubbing his shoulder. "Got it." As he was about to continue eating his burger, he realized he'd dropped it on the ground when Gwen punched him earlier, smearing ketchup on his shirt. Zed happily lapped up the last few crumbs of food on the floor.

"What's wr-" She trailed off when she saw the red stain on his shirt. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!"

"Nah, it's fine. I'll just wipe it off." He stood up to reach for the nearest box of tissues.

Gwen got up too, swallowing remained of her burger. "Tell you what, I'll go to your place and get you a clean shirt."

He shook his head, laughing. "It's no big. A little ketchup ain't gonna stop me from doin' my job."

"There's also sweat, motor oil and who _knows_ what else on that thing, and it's my fault you have ketchup on your shirt to begin with.", she insisted.

"I take it you've already made up your mind?"

"Great!" Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I'll be back before you know it." She turned on her heel, running off before Kevin called out to her. "Wait!"

She stopped in her tracks, looking over her shoulder.

"Keys." He tossed them to her and she caught them perfectly, shoving them in her pocket. "Thanks! I love you!"

"I love you too! Be safe!"

He watched as she got out of view, thinking to himself. _"Just what did I do to deserve such an amazing girl?_"


	6. Misery

Words failed him, but his eyes told her everything she needed to know.

She closed what little space remained between them, pressing her body against his. Her arms enveloped him, her head nestled on his shoulder.

He froze, completely clueless as to why she continued to waste her time and energy on a disappointment like him. He could feel tears brimming in his eyes already, obscuring his vision as a wave of agony washed over him.

Her heart ached with every sob that escaped his mouth. She yearned to make him see himself as the brave, intelligent and amazing young man she had come to fall in love with, or better yet, she wanted to take away his pain altogether. Seeing the love of her life suffer tore her up. After all he had been through over the years, he deserved nothing less than to be happy.

He didn't see it that way, however. He knew deep down that he had to pay the price for his former life of crime by constantly feeling like he was never going to be good enough for anything or anyone, including the very girl cradling him in her arms who gave meaning to his life. Despite her having told him countless times that she loved him of her own volition, he could not shake the nagging worry at the back of his mind that she- and everyone else for that matter- would be better off without him. He clung onto the fabric of her shirt, his body convulsing in a violent fit of uncontrollable anguish.

She moved her hands to his tear-stained cheeks and locked eyes with him, attempting to assure him that she was there for him- that she was _always _going to be there for him, all without needing to say a single word. Drawing his head closer, she planted a long, tender kiss on his forehead and gave his hand a gentle squeeze to reinforce her point.

He sunk his head into her chest, soaking her clothes with the tears that continued to stream down his face. Time began to blur. All he knew was that everything hurt and he despised himself for devolving into a crying mess. He was always told to man up and bottle his emotions. For the longest time, that's what he did, but he knew he couldn't fool her. She was perceptive. She saw the broken soul within him and, to his initial surprise, she didn't think of him as weak. Still, he didn't think it was fair for her to deal with his many depressive episodes. Wasn't she tired of it by now? Tired of _him_?

She wasn't. From the moment she caught feelings for him, she knew he had a low opinion of himself. She knew he had issues to work through, which was why he was so apprehensive about starting a relationship with her. She took it upon herself to help him heal, and by the time they were fully committed to each other, he had come to mean much more to her than she could ever imagine. The things she did for him, she'd do again without giving it a second thought.

But what exactly was the point of his existence? What was he working towards? He wanted to get married to the girl of his dreams, of that much he was certain, but was the destination worth it if the journey was tormentous? No matter how much he tried, he simply couldn't escape his past. All he things he did, the people he wronged... It traumatized him daily, more often than not making itself known in his nightmares. Wouldn't it be easier for him to give up and cut his losses?

Eventually, he physically couldn't bring himself to cry any longer, so he stayed in place, his body growing numb as he drifted off to sleep. Maybe all of this was in his head. Maybe he'd feel better once he woke up.


	7. Birthday Wish

Gwen watched Kevin intently as he bobbed his head back and forth to the rock music blaring loudly from the speakers of his car. He kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other firmly on the gear stick. The music wasn't really her style, but she was glad he was in a good mood. It was going to help with the conversation she was about to initiate.

"So, you know, my birthday's coming up soon.", she told him. Her voice was barely audible over the music. Drat, this was awkward. She just _had _to take the indirect route.

He kept his eyes on the long stretch of asphalt ahead. "I _do _know. I'd be a terrible boyfriend if I didn't. Anyway, why do you ask? Want me to get ya somethin'?"

"Well, I've been hoping for a- I mean, it would be nice if- ", she mumbled, unable to find the right words. Kevin turned down the volume of the music, facing her. "What was that?"

Mesmerized by his black orbs, she lost her train of thought. So far, this wasn't going the way she had planned. "Ah, I... uh-" She rubbed the back of her neck, attempting to stave off the intense awkwardness of her own making. "You see..", she cleared her throat. She cursed herself under her breath, opting to just spit it out.

"I WANT A CAR!"

Kevin's forehead crinkled, unsure of how not to disappoint her. "You sure?"

She nodded excitedly, nearly bouncing on her seat. "Pleeeease?" She batted her eyelids, trying her best to melt his heart so he couldn't possibly refuse her request.

As fate would have it, he looked away to focus on the road in front of him, making her efforts pointless. "Wasn't your dad supposed to get you one after high school graduation?", he lifted his brow.

"Yeah, but since I went to college early instead of actually graduating, he took it upon himself to abuse the loophole.", she huffed.

Kevin chuckled. "One of the cons of having a lawyer for a dad." Several moments of silence followed before he spoke up again. "You really want that car, huh?"

She raised her arms in the air in slight exasperation. "You got Ben a car and he didn't even ask!"

"He needed one. All he had was a crummy bike.", he pointed out.

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "He had the Omnitrix."

He paused, internally admitting that she made a good point. "Okay, w-well, by that logic, you don't need a car either. You can teleport."

Gwen folded her arms, annoyed. "How is that a fair comparison? You know teleporting makes me sick."

He sighed, bringing his hand up from the gear stick to massage his temples. "Yeah, you're right, but... I ain't made of money."

"Two words: Taydenite car.", she stated flatly. Kevin's body tensed, fresh out of excuses to give.

"Come _on, _babe!" She hugged his arm. "If you get me a car, I won't have to rely on you to give me rides anymore! Wouldn't that be a good thing for both of us?"

His lack of a response clued her into his apprehensiveness, her eyes widening in realization. "You... _want _me to rely on you?" She unwrapped her hands from his arm.

He gave her a subtle nod. "Not the exact phrase I'd use, but yeah. If you got a car, I wouldn't get to see you as much. You could go wherever, do whatever, without me." He shrugged. "I'd miss you."

"Kevin, you're acting like I want a car so I can get away from you." She placed a hand on his thigh, carressing it. "You're looking at this the wrong way."

"Am I? We hardly get to see each other on some days, except for like an hour or two when you need me to drive you around town to run errands or get food before classes. Havin' a car would make things much easier for ya, I get it... but it'd also mean you wouldn't _need _to go on those car rides with me."

"I swear..." Suppressing a smile, Gwen planted a kiss on his cheek. "Have you ever thought about the possibility that _I _could take _you _on rides?"

His pupils dilated as if he'd just had an epiphany. "Oh. That's- Yeah... you got a point. Man, I'm dumb."

She affectionately squeezed his hand. "See, when you get me a car, we can take turns driving each other around town depending on what day it is!"

"You mean _if _I get you a car." Kevin smirked, but Gwen simply stared at him, deadpan.

Dropping his smug smile, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Fine. I'll think about it."


	8. Sweet Dreams

**Note: As an experiment, this story is written from Gwen's perspective.**

* * *

The only sounds that fill the room are those of my laptop keys clacking and Kevin snoring softly.

I look over at my bed behind me to see him clutching my blue blanket close to his body. He has barely moved an inch in the couple of hours he's been sleeping. He hasn't tossed or turned or made any noise. He looks more peaceful than I've ever seen him.

Proper sleep was always kind of a rarity for Kevin. He usually has about three or four hours of sleep per night. Normally, he'd fall asleep, have mild nightmares thanks to his less-than-stellar childhood, then go back to sleep with some effort.

Other times, he wouldn't be able to sleep at all, and he'd stay up working on his car. I've seriously lost track of how many times I've walked into his garage in the morning to see him dozing off under his car, covered in grime and motor oil.

Sometimes, he'd have nightmares so bad and get so shaken that he'd call me just to feel better. Poor thing.

I've also caught him dozing off during the day a few times here and there. He'd sometimes wake up in a panicked state, ready to punch the next thing he sees. It was a little weird early on in our relationship, but I eventually understood why it happened so often.

If I had to guess, the nightmares, and by extension, Kevin's quality of sleep, have been getting worse lately. He's been a lot more lethargic and distracted. Of course, Kevin being Kevin, said he had everything under control. I didn't believe him, obviously.

I invited him to my place to hang out, but after seeing him fight to keep his eyes open when he walked in, I practically dragged him to my bed and forced him to go to sleep. He was out cold within five minutes.

Thankfully, that means I've been able to make good progress on my art history report. If he were awake, he'd be distracting me to try and get me to ditch my work. I have to admit, it's almost been _too _quiet.

I tiptoe to the side of the bed Kevin's facing and carefully get on the bed. I brush his soft black hair away and trace my fingers down his cheeks. His chest rises and falls routinely as he inhales and exhales. I can tell just by looking at his face that he's not dreaming about anything, which is a good thing. He was long overdue for an uninterrupted slumber.

I can't help but smile to myself. Quiet moments like this really make me stop and think about how lucky I am to have Kevin in my life. Yeah, he's annoying sometimes, but strangely, that's part of why I love him. He's funny, sweet, strong, charming, and he's always there for me whenever I need him. He doubts himself a lot, but I wish he could see himself the way I see him.

I move my arms down his body and loop them around the middle of his back, lightly pressing his body against mine. Barely five seconds pass before I hear him groan. Before I get the chance to leave the bed, Kevin blinks, looking down at me with a playful smile. He's so cute.

I stifle a laugh. "Sorry for waking you up. Didn't mean to."

"Don't you have an art history report to do?" He yawns, tenderly putting his arms around me.

"I found something more important to pay attention to." I give him a quick peck on the lips. "Did you sleep alright?"

"Alright?" He chuckles. "That was some of the best sleep I've had in a long time. I really needed that."

"Do you... wanna talk about the nightmares?" I look into his eyes. It was never easy for him to open up. He's been getting better at it, but there's always that part of him that thinks I'd judge him for talking about his feelings.

His smile melts away like ice on a hot day. "Do I have to?" I twirl my finger in between some strands of his hair. "Do you _want _to?"

He shakes his head. "Not yet." I gently place a hand on his chest. "Then I want you to know that I'll be here to listen when you feel like talking."

"Thanks, baby." He yawns again. I really shouldn't have woken him up.

I lovingly stroke his cheek. "You should go back to sleep."

"Mmm... only if you sleep with me."

Why'd he have to say it like _that_? "Kevin, phrasing!"

"Okay, okay!" He laughs. "I guess the reason I slept so well earlier is 'cause you were in the room. I wasn't alone, y'know? I figure if you're right next to me, I'll sleep even better."

"Of course I'll sleep with- I mean, _next _to you." I press my body flush against him to close any gaps between us. His hand moves to the back of my head, caressing my hair.

Closing my eyes, I bury my head in Kevin's chest. Before long, my eyelids droop, but in my half-dazed state, I manage to mumble Kevin's name. He utters nothing more than a tired "Mhm?"

"You're never alone." Neither of us say another word, basking in our embrace as our minds drift away.

* * *

**I hope this was acceptable. Trying to write from Gwen's point of view was challenging, but I might do it again if you guys think I did a good job here.**


	9. I'll Follow You Anywhere

**Note: This story takes place between Ultimate Alien and Omniverse.**

* * *

The moonlight cast a dim glow over the entire beach. A content sigh escaped Gwen's lips as she shut her eyes, relishing the cool breeze pressing on her skin and the sound of the water splashing against the shore. She lay on a large picnic blanket, just a few inches away from Kevin. In other words, there was too great a distance between them for her liking.

"You doin' good?", he asked, turning to face her.

"Mmm, well...", she opened her eyes, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "It's a little chilly."

Kevin wrapped both his arms around her body, pulling her as close to him as humanly possible to share body heat. "Better?"

"Much." She leaned her head on his chest, the steady beat of his heart piercing her eardrums. There was no threat in sight (and even if there was, she could hold her own), but she felt considerably safer in his arms.

Her smile quickly faded as she realized that, in a mere week, moments like this were going to be rare. She promised herself she'd forget about it, just for tonight, but the nagging feeling at the back of her head refused to leave. Reality was hitting hard. "I'm gonna miss this. I'm gonna miss _you_."

Kevin kissed the top of her head. "I know. I... I'll miss you, too." As much as he knew that she was going away for a good reason, he hated the idea. Still, there was nothing he could do to change things. Gwen was leaving, whether he liked it or not, and he had to make peace with that. It was for her future.

The girl lifted her head, staring deeply into his obsidian orbs. Ever since she told him about the news, he had been nothing but supportive, but she knew deep down that it was going to be tough for him to adjust to life without her. "Maybe I can turn down the offer. I'll stay in Bellwood and we can-"

"No, Gwen." Kevin squeezed her hand. "I never got to finish school, but even I know that an opportunity like this ain't easy to come by. You need to go to Friedkin. You need to leave Bellwood." He gulped. "Even if it means leavin' me."

She idly drew circles on his chest with one finger. "Do you think we'll be okay?"

Kevin didn't answer her question directly. "We'll find a way to make it work. We have to. I'll call you every night. I'll even come visit on weekends."

She heaved a sigh, sitting up. "But it won't be the same. I'll miss not being able to hug you when I'm having a bad day. I'll miss not having you in the room when I'm studying." She huffed in frustration. "I wish I could just take you with me."

Kevin sat up, eyes widening as an idea formed in his head. "Well, what's stoppin' you?"

"Gwen shook her head, stroking his cheek with the back of her hand. "Kevin, you have a life here. I couldn't possibly expect you to drop everything and follow me."

"Do I? I mean, Tennyson's my buddy and all, and I'm grateful for my mom, but..." He put his hands on her shoulders. "You're the biggest thing in Bellwood I got goin' for me."

Curious on why he suddenly changed his mind, Gwen's dropped her hand from his cheek. "What happened to making the long distance thing work?"

"Screw that.", he said with a smile on his face. "If I have to move away to be with you, I will. It'd be a win-win situation, Gwen! You'd get to go to college and we wouldn't be miles apart."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Gwen was still concerned.

Kevin nodded resolutely. "I don't wanna be away from you, Gwen."

"Me neither. It's just... if you're serious about this, we need to talk to my parents." She was already dreading their reaction. They definitely weren't going to take it well. "Look, can we talk about this tomorrow? Right now, I don't wanna think. I just wanna be with you."

"Yeah, okay." He pulled her into a tight hug, his arms holding her close. She relished his touch, wanting nothing more than for the moment to last forever.

* * *

**When I planned this in my head, I had a much stronger sense of direction, but I think it ended up being mediocre. Oh, well.**


End file.
